As the Phoenix Mercury enter the WNBA's best-of-three West Conference finals against the Minnesota Lynx Thursday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2), Griner holds the spotlight, as she has all season. But after injuries and inconsistency dominated her rookie year, she showed her tremendous potential with her latest shot.

The 6-8 center, picked first overall after a dominant career at Baylor, lifted the No. 3 seed Mercury past the No. 2 Los Angeles Sparks in the first round on a jumper with 4.9 seconds left in the decisive Game 3 Monday. The play was meant for Diana Taurasi, but the Sparks defended her and left it up to Griner to beat them.

"Hitting that shot, it meant so much that she would be one of our two options on the play," Mercury coach Russ Pennell said Wednesday, praising Griner's confidence.

Griner told news reporters after the game she wasn't nervous. But her first season has been bumpy, between a June knee injury, an inconsistent role in an offense featuring Taurasi and Candice Dupree and the firing of coach Corey Gaines in August.

While fellow rookie Elena Delle Donne of the Chicago Sky dominated as a rookie, Griner showed flashes of her potential. She led the WNBA with 3.0 blocks a game but routinely dealt with foul trouble, as she did in the first and third games of the first-round series vs. the Sparks.

"She's not strong enough to hold position in the post on every play," Pennell said. "This is something Brittney needs to grow into. She understands what it takes to get better. Her skill level is better than her physical strength right now."

Griner was lauded at an unprecedented level for a WNBA rookie. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban suggested she could play in the NBA and several columnists said she might be the best player in the world immediately.

Having Taurasi and Dupree proved crucial to the Mercury, particularly after Griner's knee injury.

"We have similar experiences as far as coming to teams that had veterans and just had a lot of injuries (to allow them the top picks)," said Lynx star Maya Moore, who was the No. 1 pick in 2010. "We both were fortunate to have leaders to carry the load so we wouldn't have to."

Moore finished second in WNBA MVP voting this year, having fulfilled her potential after two years of playing second fiddle to Seimone Augustus. She helped the Lynx win the WNBA title as a rookie and return to the Finals last season.

The 19-15 Mercury enter the series as underdogs to the 26-8 Lynx. Injuries to Griner and Penny Taylor and inconsistency from the bench led to Gaines' firing. Pennell says he's tried to keep that pressure away from Griner, but she proved Monday that she can handle it.

"Experience is a phenomenal feature," ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck said. "There was a lot of pressure on her thinking she had to do everything.

Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore (23) and Atlanta Dream guard Angel McCoughtry (35) go after a rebound in the first quarter of game one of the WNBA Finals at Target Center.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Dream guard Tiffany Hayes (15) drives to the basket while defended by Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus (33) in the second quarter in game one of the WNBA Finals at Target Center.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Storm's Tanisha Wright, left battles with Minnesota Lynx's Maya Moore (23) and Rebekkah Brunson (32) with Storm's Noelle Quinn, right for a rebound during the first half of an WNBA basketball playoff game in Tacoma, Wash. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013.
John Froschauer, AP

Minnesota Lynx's Rebekkah Brunson comes up with a lose ball with Seattle Storm's Tina Thompson chasing during the first half of a WNBA basketball playoff game in Tacoma, Wash. on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013.
John Froschauer, AP

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) is congratulated by teammate guard Alexis Hornbuckle (14) during the against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half during Game 2 of a WNBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series at US Airways Center.
Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half during Game 2 of a WNBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series at US Airways Center.
Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker (3) talks with teammates on the court against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half during Game 2 of a WNBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series at US Airways Center.
Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports